It's Kind of a Funny Story

6.4

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Original title: It's Kind of a Funny Story
Year: 2010
Running time: 97 min.
Country: United States
Director: Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck
Screenwriter: Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck. Novel: Ned Vizzini
Music: Broken Social Scene
Cinematography: Andrij Parekh
Cast: Keir Gilchrist, Zach Galifianakis, Emma Roberts, Lauren Graham, Aasif Mandvi, Viola Davis, Zöe Kravitz, Jeremy Davies, Jim Gaffigan, Mary Birdsong, Adrian Martinez, Jee Young Han
Producer: Focus Features, Wayfare Entertainment, Misher Films, Journeyman Pictures, Gowanus Projections
Genre: Comedy. Drama | Comedy-Drama. Disease/illness. Young Adult
Synopsis: A clinically depressed teenager gets a new start after he checks himself into an adult psychiatric ward. After contemplating suicide by jumping off the Brooklyn Bridge, 16-year-old Craig Gilner (Keir Gilchrist) decides to go to the hospital to seek help. He is placed in the adult ward with a few other teenagers because the teenage ward is undergoing renovations. Craig is introduced to Bobby (Zach Galifianakis), an adult patient who claims he is only there on vacation, as he takes Craig under his wing. During a group discussion, Craig learns that Bobby is stressed about an upcoming interview in hopes of moving to a group home. When Bobby states that all he will have to wear for the interview is the sweater that he is currently wearing, Craig offers Bobby one of his dad's dress shirts to wear, and Bobby accepts. Craig's kind offer to Bobby is witnessed by Noelle (Emma Roberts), another teenage patient who is in for self-harm.

Critics' reviews

"Galifianakis is a comic force of nature (...) but he digs down here and delivers a beautifully nuanced performance that gets under your skin. Just like the movie (…) Rating: ★★★ (out of 4)"

Peter Travers: Rolling Stone
"The filmmakers fully retain their offbeat sensibility and attentiveness to character while providing perhaps the sharpest showcase yet for Zach Galifianakis’ outsized talents"

Justin Chang: Variety
"A dramatically inert, lethargic dramedy that isn't nearly as quirky and poignant is it perceives itself."

Michael Rechtshaffen: The Hollywood Reporter
"[It] only skims the surface of its serious subject matter (...) Several characters and relationships are woefully underwritten (...) I’m afraid I have to call this a misfire"

Leonard Maltin: IndieWire
"[It] has charm (...) The journey is aided immeasurably by the casting of Keir Gilchrist (...) A beautiful thing in this film, which is fairly lovely throughout, is the way Galifianakis looks at Gilchrist"

Mick LaSalle: SFGATE
"[It lacks] genuine emotional pain. Still, the movie’s an often charming example of 'Cuckoo’s Nest' Lite (…) Rating: ★★½ (out of 4)"

Ty Burr: Boston Globe
"It's kind of a rubbish story (...) Sentimental, questionable and boring (…) Rating: ★ (out of 5)"

Peter Bradshaw: The Guardian
"[It] demonstrates an impressive commitment to its understated, lifelike tone (...) Unfortunately, the intentionally small-stakes drama that plays out can’t help but feel inconsequential."

Tim Grierson: Screendaily

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Ranking Lists Position

96 My Top 10 Movies from 2010 (31)

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